Ethereum Foundation Unveils Strategy for Network Scaling and Core Layer Protection

Ethereum Foundation outlines 2026 roadmap with focus on scaling, UX, and core protection.

The non-profit Ethereum Foundation (EF) has released an updated roadmap for protocol development through 2026. The foundation has identified three main priorities: scaling, enhancing UX, and protecting the core layer.

Protocol Priorities Update for 2026https://t.co/gW41FhqA4q

— Ethereum Foundation (@ethereumfndn) February 18, 2026

“The year 2025 was one of the most productive for Ethereum. We successfully executed two major upgrades and made progress across all key areas. […] Looking ahead, we realized that to continue meeting community demands, our goals must evolve,” noted the EF.

Scaling

In this area, developers will focus on increasing L1 throughput and expanding data availability. Key objectives include:

• gradually increasing the gas limit to 100 million and beyond. This is planned through the implementation of block-level access lists (EIP-7928) and regular client performance testing;
• preparing the Glamsterdam hard fork. The update involves introducing an embedded PBS mechanism (ePBS, EIP-7732), revising operation costs, and increasing limits for BLOB objects;
• launching a zkEVM-based attestation client. The tool is planned to be ready for full use on the mainnet;
• optimizing storage. Developers will work on removing outdated data and transitioning to binary trees (stateless architecture).

User Experience

The focus will shift to native account abstraction and cross-network interaction (interoperability).

According to developers, the previously adopted EIP-7702 was a significant step, but the ultimate goal is to make smart contract wallets a standard, operating without intermediaries and extra gas costs.

The next proposals — EIP-7701 and EIP-8141 — aim to embed smart account logic directly into the protocol. This will also lay the groundwork for post-quantum security: native abstraction will eventually allow for the phasing out of outdated ECDSA authentication.

In the area of interoperability, development of the Open Intents Framework will continue for seamless interaction between L2.

Core Layer

This new focus aims to preserve Ethereum’s fundamental properties during scaling. Efforts will be directed in three areas:

• security: preparing for the post-quantum era and execution-level protection;
• censorship resistance: implementing FOCIL (EIP-7805), protecting BLOBs, and creating metrics to assess the ecosystem’s censorship resistance;
• network testing and stability: supporting testnets for safe deployment of updates and ensuring client compatibility during accelerated hard fork cycles.

The next major Ethereum update will be Glamsterdam, scheduled for the first half of this year. Hegota is expected later.

Recently, EF underwent leadership changes. Tomasz Stanczak stepped down as the foundation’s executive director.